cleft palate

Definition: a congenital fissure in the median line of the palate, often, but not necessarily associated with cleft lip. May occur as a component of other craniofacial anomalies or other syndromes, diastrophic dwarfism or spondyloepiphysial dysplasia congenita; its general genetic incidence resembles that of cleft lip (1 in 750–1000 live births).